Lodestone -
Hawke's Bay Launch
Lodestone was bringing a different kind of energy offer to Hawke’s Bay: locally farmed solar energy, generated in the region to deliver good value power to the local community - no rooftop panels required.
Our job was to turn that difference into a retail brand people could understand, trust and act on.
The challenge
Lodestone had built its business as a commercial-scale solar energy provider, selling its energy to commercial customers. It wanted to expand this offering into the residential and SME electricity market, starting in Hawke’s Bay. We needed to build awareness, credibility and customer acquisition at the same time - making a new kind of solar-powered energy offer feel simple, tangible and genuinely local, without looking or sounding like another national power company.
The Insight
In Hawke’s Bay, local carries weight. People support businesses that show up, contribute and feel part of the community. And with household costs under pressure, solar needed to be framed around practical value, not environmental virtue. The opportunity was to make locally generated solar feel as familiar and accessible as any other product grown in the region.
The idea
Real Hawke’s Bay Energy
We treated sunshine like local produce: farmed in Hawke’s Bay, for Hawke’s Bay. A campaign world built around local pride, real people and the simple benefits of solar without the panels. From “Here comes your sun” to “While the sun rises, your bills stay steady,” the work made energy feel warmer, easier and closer to home.
The execution
We worked across the retail brand look and feel, creative platform, campaign assets and media strategy to help bring the campaign to life.
The integrated campaign ran across tightly geo-targeted local touchpoints, including OnDemand TV, press, digital display, OOH, social, direct-mail letterbox drops and local radio. Every channel worked together to build familiarity, explain the offer and drive towards The Big Solar Switchover week.
The impact
The campaign mobilised extraordinary generosity nationwide:
24,963 children received Christmas joy
59,236 toys donated
4,721 families fed
3,608 families supported through the Joy Store
3.9 million social media views in 30 days
2.1 million dollars in donated media value
